Samenvatting

Land use based on local rainfall in the arid zone senso stricto is often limited to pastoralism, sometimes combined with very marginal rainfed farming, unsuccessful in most years. A more sophisticated form of rainfed agriculture - runoff farming - has been practised in the central Negev and adjacent northeastern Sinai by a sedentary population in certain historical periods, particularly during Byzantine times from the 5th to 7th century A.D. The environment
of the Runoff Farming District in the Negev is described, as well as the mechanics of rainwater-harvesting agriculture or runoff farming. Five systems of runoff farming are distinguished on hydro-geomorphic criteria. Excavations have been carried out in ancient runoff farming wadi terraces at Horvat Haluqim, apparently dating back some three millennia, and in Nahal Mitnan, attributed to the Late Byzantine - Early Arab period. The practising of runoff farming at Horvat Haluqim in antiquity has been substantiated by specific soil development in an ancient wadi-terrace layer, indicative of periodically flooded conditions. Calculations have been made about food production, based upon wheat yields, in relation to estimated population levels in the past. Besides runoff farming, oasis-irrigation agriculture in the region could only be practised at a very few spots. The valley oasis of Kadesh-Barnea or Ein el Qudeirat, situated in northeastern Sinai, is one of the most outstanding places in this respect in the entire Sinai-Negev desert, endowed with a copious spring and cultivable soils. The systems of irrigation agriculture are described, whilst the remnants of ancient aquaducts have been dated by radiocarbon. The valley stratigraphy and soil development have been investigated in detail, in relation to the tell (mainly composed of ancient Israelite fortresses, although the Early Fortress might date back to the Late Bronze age, as suggested by C-14 dates), and in relation to ancient remnants of irrigation agriculture, dated by radiocarbon to the Bronze age and the 7th century A.D.
Dramatic cut-and-fill processes have occurred in the Kadesh-Barnea valley during historical times. These remarkable changes have been substantiated, in addition to the stratigraphic evidence, through the detection of specific soil development, particularly the microscopic discovery of authigenic pyrite. A detailed chrono-stratigraphy has been established based upon radiocarbon dates, determined by the Isotope Physics Laboratory of Prof. Mook (University of Groningen). All the radiocarbon dates have been calibrated from conventional C-14 years into historical years. The carrying capacities of the Runoff Farming District and the Kadesh-Barnea - Quseima region have been calculated and the outcomes are compared with former population levels. The relationships between the landscape, climatic and agricultural history are evaluated. A clear time-correlation exists between valley aggradation and a relatively wet climate, as well as between valley incision and a relatively dry climate. There is a bit of irony in the conclusion that runoff farming was not practised by a sedentary population in the central Negev desert in those periods during the last three millennia when the climate was relatively wet. Internal and/or external food reserves must have been an integral part of a sedentary runoff farming society, as a buffer for the inevitable years of drought.

Hier te downloaden of via Academia.edu.

Recensie

Boekinformatie

Bestellen

Commentaar

Zie de huisregels welk commentaar wordt opgenomen!